Holden Caulfield Psychology

Holden Caulfield is a seventeen-year old teenager from a privileged family. He is the protagonist of “The Catcher in the Rye” written by J.D. Salinger. Throughout the book, Holden’s attitude will remain the same, disappointed and uncomfortable in this world, although he can be very sensitive. He faces a lot of struggles that will make his future difficult and maybe, unrealizable. His attitude will be misunderstood by the reader. Some will talk about his way to his maturity some will say he has psychological problems. But who is right?

Holden’s constant changes of ideas

Everything begins when Holden Caulfield abandoned the Pencey Prep School because of his low grades. When he finally decides to talk about his future with Mr.Spencer after leaving school, he persuades himself that he is actually concerned for the years that are coming “Sure I do!”; but then , Holden actually realized he didn’t do anything for his future and that it seems like he doesn’t care at all. After understanding how lonely he was at Pencey, he finally decides to join his family in New York. When he arrives in New York where his sister and him meet, the reader understands that Holden loves his sister, and that she is the only one left of his siblings, Allie died of Leukemia and DB is a writer in Los Angeles. He says “You never saw a kid so pretty and smart in your whole life”. He will regret having imposed his come back to his sister. Holden cannot keep straight ideas, with all sorts of decisions, he will Change his mind, to make his reality a little less bad.

Holden’s view of life as an alienated teenager

He builds an armor around him to protect himself of the outside world thatseems so hard to face. In chapter 2, Holden explains his opinion about life as a response to Mr.Spencer “Life is a game” : “Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game, all right—I’ll admit that. But...